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Gas Flaring Prohibition Bill Passes 2nd Reading
The Bill for an Act to Prohibit Flaring of Natural Gas in Nigeria and Other Matters, 2017, passed second reading at the Senate yesterday.
The bill is sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas, Senator Albert Bassey.
Leading debate on the bill, Bassey said that flaring natural gas was one of the most dangerous environmental and energy waste practices in the country’s petroleum industry.
According to him, gas flaring has adverse effect on the environment and human health.
The lawmaker said that the practice had caused economic losses to the nation, depriving it of tax revenue and trade opportunities and clean and cheaper energy source for citizens.
“Available data from the NNPC has shown that Nigeria lost billions in revenue last year.
“The volume of gas flared is sufficient to generate reasonable quantity of megawatts of electricity. This is not to say the unquantifiable social, health and environmental impacts.
“It appears that the euphoria of oil discovery and commencement of production in 1958 blinded Nigerians as there was no provision to handle gas in association with oil.
“Government neither stipulated any law nor guidance during the nascent period of our oil production history.
“All efforts to stop the flaring of natural gas has not been effective and Nigerians have remained the victims of lack of Gas Flaring Prohibition Act,’’ he said.
Bassey said that when passed, the bill would help to provide a strong legal framework for effective monitoring and regulation of gas activities in line with current realities.
He said that the bill would equally address the inadequacies of the 1979 Act by stipulating adequate penalties.
He explained that the bill sought to ensure achievement of the nation, play out target of Jan 1, 2030 in line with the United Nations Charter.
Contributing, Chairman of Committee on Finance, Sen. John Enoh, said it was disheartening that Nigeria was still battling with stopping gas flaring.
He said that several deadlines had been set to end it but that nothing meaningful had been achieved.
He called for the passage of the bill in order to put strict measures in place to tackle the problems posed by the flaring of gas.
“We remain an amazing country. Since 1958 we are still talking about what to do about gas flaring. So, we have to put in measures to make it expensive to flare gas,’’ Enoh said.
Other lawmakers supported the bill in view of the hazards gas flaring posed to the economy.
In his remarks, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided at the plenary, said that Nigeria was not in short supply of laws and regulations.
Ekweremadu said that the problem was poor enforcement of the laws and regulations.
“In addition to making these laws, I believe that we should also wake up to our responsibility regarding the issue of oversight.
“This is because that is the only the way we can get the enforcement agencies and regulatory agencies to be alive to their responsibilities.
“If we all do our work from the National Assembly to the enforcement and regulatory agencies, I am sure we will be able to get some of these things right,’’ he said.
Passage of the bill for third reading was made through a unanimous vote by the lawmakers.
Meanwhile, the Chairman, the National Executive Council of Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), Mr Ede Dafinone, yesterday called on the Federal Government to put an end to gas flaring in the country.
Dafinone told newsmen in Lagos that sustained gas flaring in the Niger Delta Area had caused untold damage to the environment.
According to him, the affected communities are always illuminated by gas flares, even at night.
“l do not think that there is any other country in the world where gas flaring is done on such a large scale.
“Sadly enough, gas is a valuable resource that is being wasted.
“It will be beneficial to us as a nation to channel this useful `waste’ (gas) into a business where the gas, being flared, can be accumulated for our domestic use or export.
“This is important, especially in Nigeria where we don’t have sufficient energy,’’ he added.
Dafinone bemoaned a situation in which deadlines for the cessation of gas flaring had continuously been shifted.
He said that anywhere a sanctions regime favoured less stringent penalties and fines, offending individuals, companies and organisations would always prefer to pay fines.
He, however, conceded that he was not aware of the nature of the fines imposed on oil companies for gas flaring or if they were even paying any fine at all.
“Since gas flaring still exists, it means it is cheaper or more convenient for the oil companies to pay fines for flaring gas than stopping it.
“The penalty or fine to stop people from committing an act is always graduated; at the initial stage, it is small and put on record as a warning.
“The fine is increased yearly but after five, 10 and 15 years, the penalty is properly set. In that case, it would be in your benefit not to flare natural gas again.
“If that is the case, l am sure that the oil companies would have stopped gas flaring a long time ago,’’ he said.
Dafinone, however, said that it was expedient to have useful alternatives to gas flaring, adding that the nation and affected communities would be better off if gas flaring was totally stopped.
The National Coordinator of Embedded Ai -EU Erasmus Project in Nigeria, Prof. Bourdillon Omijeh, has commended the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and the Rivers State Government for their strategic partnership in organizing the Job Fair 2026.
The Job Fair with theme: “Addressing Youth Employability for Prosperity,” took place at Obi International Conference Center, Port Harcourt, last week.
Speaking as Special Guest, Professor Omijeh stated that result-oriented human capital development and trainings focused on relevant skills is the most effective solution to reducing the high rate of graduate unemployment in Rivers State.
He noted that Nigeria is firmly in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), driven by technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Machine Learning, Big Data Analytics, Internet of Things, Virtual and Augmented Reality, and 5G.
According to him, these emerging technologies offer enormous employment and entrepreneurial opportunities across critical sectors, including agriculture, power, Telecommunication, oil and gas, healthcare, and security.
He emphasized the growing shift from job seeking to job creation, explaining that youths equipped with 4IR skills can become innovators, solution providers, and founders of startups and new industries.
Professor Omijeh further stated that Nigeria is richly endowed with talented youths capable of competing globally when properly empowered with the right skills, support, and enabling environment.
He called for sustained collaboration between government, the private sector, and educational institutions to build a future-ready workforce and drive inclusive economic growth in Rivers State.
To the over 4000 teeming youths present, Professor Omijeh said, according to Bill Gate, that “Being born poor is not a fault, but remaining poor in a world of opportunity and skills is a responsibility that must be consciously addressed.
“Don’t allow your current circumstances define your destiny. There’s a seed of greatness in you. Sieze any and every opportunity to develop yourself and acquire the requisite skills.
He passionately urged the Rivers State Government to intentionally invest and fund result-oriented training programmes through the strategic Ministry of Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment and Ministry of Youth Development to increase employability and reduce the rate of graduate unemployment in Rivers State.
He thanked the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and the Honorable Commissioner for Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment, Dr. Chisom K. Gbali, for this laudable initiative with NECA.
Professor Bourdillon Omijeh is the National Coordinator of the Embedded Artificial Intelligence (EAI) -EU Erasmus Project in Nigeria; Immediate Past Director of Centre for Information and Telecommunication Engineering Uniport, NCC-Chair Occupant on ICT Uniport; TensorFlow four (4) times award winner on Capacity building on Ai & ML -(2021-2024), CEO-Bourdillon Omijeh Foundation.
As a Professional Mentor, he has facilitated the training of thousands of youths on 4IR- Skills with relevant certifications and evidential engagements.
Follow Prof Bourdillon Omijeh on LinkedIn.
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has urged youths in the state to take advantage of the vast opportunities available to become employers of labour and contribute meaningfully to growth and development.
Fubara said global trends increasingly favour entrepreneurship and innovation, stressing that youths in Rivers State must not be left behind in harnessing such opportunities.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Benibo Anabraba, the governor stated this while declaring open the 2026 Job Fair organised by the Rivers State Government in partnership with the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Speaking on the theme, “Addressing Youth Employability for Prosperity,” the governor acknowledged the responsibility of government to create jobs for its teeming youth population but noted that it was unrealistic to absorb all job seekers into the civil service.
“As a government, we recognise our duty to provide employment opportunities for our teeming youths. However, we also understand that not all youths can be accommodated within the civil service.
“This underscores the need to encourage entrepreneurship across diverse sectors and to partner with other stakeholders, including the youths themselves, so they can transition from being job seekers to employers of labour,” he said.
Fubara further urged participants to continually sharpen their skills and explore opportunities within their immediate environment and the global space through digital platforms.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustaining peace and providing an enabling environment for youths to develop their potential and thrive.
In a goodwill message, the Commissioner for Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment, Dr Chisom Gbali, said the job fair was designed to equip youths with contemporary skills, innovation and mentorship needed to transform them from unemployable to resourceful individuals.
Gbali disclosed that the ministry had rolled out various training and capacity-building programmes in areas such as ICT and artificial intelligence, oil and gas, maritime, and the blue economy.
Delivering the keynote address, the Head of the Department of Human Resources Management, Rivers State University, Dr Chris Biriowu, advised participants to remain informed about evolving sources of employability.
He said the labour market was dynamic and shaped by industry-specific demands, technological advancement, management practices and other emerging factors.
Rivers State Deputy Governor, Professor Ngozi Odu, has poured accolades on late Amayanabo of Opobo, HRM Dandeson Douglas Jaja V, saying his footprints went beyond the State.
Speaking during a condolence visit to the wife of the late king, Prof. Odu said the late monarch contributed meaningfully beyond the shores of Rivers State.
“He contributed not only to Opobo, not only to Rivers State, but to Nigeria as a nation. We all know the various positions he held until his passing. For us as a Commission, we are really going to miss him greatly, especially at this time when his guidance was most needed,” she stressed.
She described the late king as a distinguished traditional ruler whose life and service contributed immensely to the development of Rivers State and Nigeria at large.
The deputy governor, who also serves as Chairman of the Rivers State Boundary Commission, noted that until his demise, King Jaja was an Ex-Officio member of the Commission, representing Rivers South East Senatorial District.
According to her, the late monarch actively participated in several meetings of the Commission and played an important advisory role.
“He actually participated with us in a couple of meetings. It was with great shock that we received the news of his passing. We saw daddy as someone who was very strong, healthy and athletic,” Prof. Odu said.
Prof. Odu explained that the Commission relied heavily on the wisdom of traditional rulers like the late monarch to ensure that its responsibilities were carried out properly and conscientiously.
She assured the family of the Commission’s continued support, saying they will remain close to the family throughout the burial arrangements and beyond.
Addressing the widow, Queen Prudence Dandeson Douglas Jaja, Prof. Odu said the visit was to commiserate with her and encourage her during the period of mourning.
“Please accept our condolences. Please be strong and put your hope in God. The God who watches over widows will never abandon you,” the deputy governor prayed.
“We cannot question God. What has happened has happened. All we can do is to pull ourselves together. That is why we are here to pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen you, that God will turn your sadness into joy and clothe you with a garment of beauty,” she added.
Responding, Queen Jaja described her late husband as a gentle, humble man who was deeply committed to the progress of Rivers State, and Nigeria at large.
She expressed gratitude to the deputy governor and other members of the Boundary Commission for identifying with the family in their moment of grief.
“We are praying that his soul will rest in perfect peace. I thank you very much for coming to console me at this trying moment. Seeing you here has given me comfort. God bless each and every one of you,” she said.
She also offered prayers for the delegation, wishing them a long life and good health.
Highlight of the visit was the presentation Letter of Condolence from the Rivers State Boundary Commission to Queen Jaja.
Kevin Nengia
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